Exotic opulence. Late 60s metallic brocade romper w/ matching belt and gillet. Pristine condition with amazing trim. If you live in a warmer climate, this is perfect holiday wear. here

Also up for grabs > this 60s burgundy velvet mini, this 20s metallic dress, and this 60s baby doll mini w/ fringe trim. Plus plenty of the Sisters’ own fabulous finds! Vintage velvets, furs, fringe, etc. More on the way soon : D.

Hey guys! If any of you were wondering, no, I didn’t die. I’ve just been offline for most of the summer, but thought I’d sneak in here and say hello. I hope you all had a wonderful summer filled with good company and fun times. I can definitely say that about mine. The sweltering TX heat isn’t exactly conducive to productivity, so most of my time these past few months was spent swimming, partying, and being otherwise useless with friends : P. With fall just around the corner however, the parties are winding down, so it’ll be business as usual asap. And in all honesty, I’m looking forward to that. I’m feeling extra productive/motivated lately, and love putting that energy to good use.

With that said, much of my time this week is being spent setting the foundation for a new opportunity. I have major news to announce in the near future that regards my vintage stock + how it’ll be sold. I don’t want to jinx myself by leaking too many details just yet (esp. since some ideas are still on the table), but let’s just say this could be the greatest career move I’ve made in years – esp. since it involves major players in the online vintage market. I’m confident it’ll be mutually beneficial to everyone involved, and can’t wait to get the ball rolling + share more w/ you : ).

Till then, I’ll probably keep a low profile on here for a while. But I promise to get back to blogging regularly when time permits. And also to be a better blog buddy overall. Vix, Elza, Veshoevious, everyone else who’s blogs I read… I miss reading your posts on a regular basis, and hope life is treating you well. You ladies never cease to inspire me : ).

Like this:

This column was a neglected for a couple weeks due to some buying trips I took, so tonight I’ll attempt to make up for that by presenting you with a triple threat: Shop Spanish Moss, this weeks Sweet Shop.

Vowing to break free from from the 9-5 world, Suzanne Ford Carafano, her brother Chris and husband Vincent launched Spanish Moss Vintage in 2006. What began as a EBay shop catering to rock & roll fashion of the late 1960s – early 1990s has since expanded to a site that not only continues to stock vintage, but sells contemporary clothing which compliments this aesthetic.

The cherry on top of it all is American Gold, Suzanne’s exclusive line of vintage inspired womens wear. Peek a boo bell bottoms in burnout velvet, fringe hem caftans, and calico floral minis are among her specialties. Each piece is made in the USA, and only high quality materials are used.

Shop Spanish Moss is a well designed site, which is easy to navigate and features gorgeous editorials by Andrew Kuykendall. The matching blog and magazine add plenty of inspiration too. Peruse them and you’ll instantly know this trio not only love, but live for what they do. No wonder they have fans in high places such as Daisy Lowe, Krystal Simpson, Erin Wasson, and Charlotte Kemp Muhl.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with Courtney Brooke. Her lens has captured the likes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Bat For Lashes, has produced gorgeous editorials for Mama Stone Vintage, South Paradiso Leather and Laced With Romance, and has been featured in N.E.E.T. and Flaunt Magazine. No wonder she’s in demand. Her style is instantly recognizable. Rich in diffusion, soft focuses and warm glows, it’s an homage to the late 60s and early 70s she’s clearly fond of. The gal lives for vintage, as evidenced in her self styled self portraits. And now her Etsy shop. Without further ado, this Sunday’s Sweet Shop is Courtney Brooke’s LightWitch.

Original prints of her works, vintage cameras, and hand selected accessories and clothing are among the treasures you can expect. Each product is photographed in an artistic manner, providing instant inspiration. And everything is priced to move. Majority of the vintage treasures are under $50.00, and some prints are available for only $20.00.

If that isn’t enticing enough, the discount code ‘groundhog’ takes 20% off anything in stock for a couple more days. Who doesn’t love a bargain on top of a bargain? And terrific style to boot? LightWitch,cheers to you.

John Maloof acquired 100,00+ photo negatives from a Chicago auction house on a whim, unsure of what they contained. Perhaps documentation of a family vacation, or many years worth of birthday parties? There was one way to find out: prints were made from the negatives, and numerous undeveloped rolls of film John also acquired were processed. In doing so, a startling revelation was made.

Arthur Weegee had a female counterpart. A woman by the name of Vivian Maier. A woman who specialized in street photography decades before it was the latest craze; who had a knack for capturing the essence of her surroundings in a candid way… with great precision. A woman who’s life’s work he now possessed.

Deeply moved by this revelation, John was inspired to take up photography himself, and has since dedicated his life’s work to archiving Vivian’s; promoting awareness of her legacy and documenting her mysterious life.

(that’s her)

As a loner by default, not much was known about Vivian; even to those who had regular contact with her. What is commonly known is that she immigrated to Chicago from France in the 1930s, and was a radical for her time despite a Catholic upbringing.

In an era when traditional gender roles were heavily emphasized and McCarthyism was the order of the day, Vivian Maier was a socialist and feminist; an androgyne who took to wearing mens jackets, hats, and shoes. She learned English from Hollywood, but preferred foreign films and was quite the film critic. And she was the sort of person you could count on for an honest opinion. She’d tell it like it is.

She worked as a nanny, so it’s assumed some of her subjects were children in her care and the families who relied on her. She was constantly taking photos, but kept them to herself. Until recently they were largely undiscovered, her genius consigned to the shadows. But now they’re enjoying the limelight.

John Maloof exhibits the prints in galleries, and is currently compiling a book and documentary on Vivian. Until their releases, a sneak peek into her world may be had online, where John maintains a blog of her photos.

She’s a legend in the making, and we only wish she were around to enjoy it. In a sad twist of fate, Vivian’s obituary was published the day before John uncovered her whereabouts.

All photos from the Maloof Collection, LTD. I highly recommend checking out the blog to see many more!

Say hello to Laced With Romance, this weeks featured sweet shop. Formerly known for taking EBay by storm, these folks opted to open a brick & mortar in Austin, TX earlier this year. Their online presence was surely missed, but never fear; a freshly launched webshop is once again supplying fashionistas world wide!

Laced specializes in 60s-80s vintage for the runway and rock & roll set. And unlike most vintage webshops, they sell mens and womens wear alike.

ABOUT A GIRL

Ramblin' woman with a heart of black gold. Treasure hunter/restless spirit residing in Texas. I sell vintage clothing to local boutiques, run EBay and Etsy shops, create vintage inspired goods, and take road trips weekly. I love to cook, am a firm believer in crystal healing and other holistic practices, and am on an endless quest for knowledge. Music, film, and art are very important to me.

This blog documents my various adventures and inspirations... when time permits.